


If I lay here...

by Illume



Series: DE Art Fest [1]
Category: Detroit Evolution - Fandom, Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Detroit Evolution Artfest (Detroit: Become Human), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Inspired by Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, M/M, Nightmares, Non-Graphic Violence, Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, Post-Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, Sharing a Bed, Spoilers for Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25043125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illume/pseuds/Illume
Summary: DE Art Fest Day 2: Sharing a Bed.Touch from someone you trust can help with nightmares and insomnia. At least that’s what people say; well, people and “research”. Whether or not that is true, sleeping knowing the person he loves and trust with his life is next to him definitely does the trick for Gavin.
Relationships: Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900, Hank Anderson & Connor, Jeffrey Fowler & Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: DE Art Fest [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1816264
Comments: 3
Kudos: 73





	If I lay here...

**Author's Note:**

> I have apparently decided that Hank adopted both Connor and Nines.  
> I have no idea why, but now it's just a permanent fixture of any fanfic that I write related to DBH.

They had gotten into a sort of routine. They would go to work, they’d hear “can you stop?” and “I can’t believe that Fowler still lets you two work together” from their co-workers (well, Tina, it’s mostly Tina). On the weekend, like today, they would meet with Hank, Connor and, on rare occasions, with Jeffrey as well. They would listen the two older men call them “son” as many times as they could “sneak” it into the conversation. With Connor present, the conversation was more quiet on Gavin’s side, partly because he still couldn’t believe that the android was willing to be in the same room as him, and partly because he looked so...different.

By all intents and purposes, Connor and Nines are supposed to be nearly identical. But, looking at the way his partner’s eyebrows rise with sarcasm, the slight scrunching of his face when Hank tells a very bad joke, the way his laugh begins with a small huff. Then there’s the way he looks at him, the way he reaches for him almost absentmindedly mid-conversation and cups his hand over the table. Gavin just can’t see them as identical.

After dinner, they go back to their apartment. Because, yes, Gavin (finally) admits that Nines ended up living with him; but it was almost accidentally. They had barely noticed that their two nights a week together became four, then six; then Hank told Nines to cut the bullshit and take a bag with him. It had been mostly about the nightmares, if they were honest. Ever since that night, Gavin had come to terms that Nines was right (fucking shocking). It is nice to have someone watching over him, someone who runs cool fingers through his hair when he feels himself being swallowed by his own bed. It helps him stay calm enough to fall asleep in the first place; most of the times, it also does wonders with the nightmares that often cut his sleeping hours to two or three at max.

Emphasis on “most times”. Because, well, tonight is not most times. No, tonight decides to kick him on the balls and continue kicking as he lays on the ground.

It is a different nightmare this time. A nightmare that reminds him of all the reasons why he doesn’t deserve better, and that he doesn’t deserve what he has.

Hank had tried talking to him about what happened during the deviant revolution. He said he often had trouble sleeping when he thought about what could’ve happen; but Hank had barely even tried to go against the deviants. Chris also tried to talk to him about it; they all had pasts, they all had a hard time understanding that, against everything they had been told about how dangerous deviants were, they were people, just like any of them. Chris does have a point there, but it is quite different to have pointed a gun at the man who practically became your brother-in-law.

The situation becomes much worse when your brain decides to change the scenario and have your boyfriend in his place. And, because nightmares never go half-way for Gavin, this time he actually pulls the trigger.

He wakes up with a start. Nines is already seated upright and is cradling his face between his hands. The worried “Gavin” ‘s sound distant to him. Nines can’t be here if he just saw himself…

“It was a nightmare. It’s okay,” the voice is slowly becoming clearer. “You’re okay”

Everything in him wants to find comfort in that voice. But, how can he, when he…

He jumps back, trying to put distance between them. But his bed is only so big, and Nines doesn’t have a problem reaching for him again.

“Stop it!”

The shout surprises him; and, even in the dark, he can still sense Nines tensing up.

“I need a minute”

He manages to jump out of the bed and rush to the bathroom, locking the door before he can hear any protest from the android.

The light is harsh on his eyes, but he knows that the burning doesn’t just come from that. He shouldn’t be crying over a dream, he shouldn’t be doing any of this over a stupid nightmare. Nines is fine; hell, Connor is fine too!

He knows he’s being stupid, he knows he pulled an asshole move when Nines was just trying to help. Fuck.

He doesn’t notice when he sinks into the floor between the sink and the tub, but now he just stays there, holding his face on his hands and trying to stop. Just stop. Stop crying, stop thinking about that goddamned dream. Stop.

A quiet rapping at the door makes his head rise suddenly. Shit.

“Gavin,” his voice sounds so worried. “Gavin, are you okay there?”

He should probably place that last nail on the coffin and tell him to fuck off…

Then there’s a meow at the door and some scratching.

Well, the cat is definitely not gonna take the hint.

He stands up, hearing small whispers calling for Asshole to get off the door, answered by more scratching.

When he finally opens the door, Asshole does what any cat would do and leaves. Work here is done, apparently. Little shit.

“Gavin” Nines sounds so relieved. “What happened? What did you dream about?”

Oh, God.

“I don’t...I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”

By now, every inclination his brain had to encourage him to push the android away is gone. He is here, right in front of him; he has a thousand and one reasons why he should leave. And yet, there he is, looking at him with those worried eyes.

Gavin lifts his eyes and is able to see the LED flashing yellow in the darkness. The dim light coming and going through the windows as the wind moves the curtains illuminates his face in small streaks. Yes, he does look worried, but his eyes still retain that look he had at dinner. He can’t exactly explain what it is in his eyes; but he can feel it, he knows that he has it too when he looks at Nines. He isn’t sure if it is the same for the android, but he can feel his chest warm up, and that warmth spreads to his arm and to his hand. In a single blink, he finds himself reaching for Nines’ hand, half expecting to be rejected. His hand is met halfway by the android’s and the other reaches for his cheek, softly whipping the fresh tears there.

“I’m sorry. It’s just...”

They’ve talked about that day, but he still feels ashamed of mentioning it again.

“This time it was you...in the interrogation room”

He gets no audible response. Instead, Nines gets closer and presses their foreheads together while squeezing his hand. He is here now, not on the floor, not...he’s here.

Gently, they both walk back to the bed and get under the covers, this time facing each other and reconnecting their foreheads, hands still linked together.

There is a kiss, maybe two, before Gavin sighs and closes his eyes again, feeling Nines move to embrace him.

The method is far from perfect, and both of them know that it will be a long way before the nightmares stop completely, if they ever do. But he feels better knowing Nines is there. Knowing he is not leaving any time soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, it is that time of the decade when I love something so much that I feel the need to write about it.  
> I have risen from the shark infested waters of Academia to write this and, man, I can tell I'm a bit rusty, it took me all day to finish this.  
> Anyway, I will probably post again for day four with the proposal prompt, but I can't promise anything.


End file.
